The shopping mall represents aspiration. For some, it might signal a time to splurge or indulge in a movie. For others, it might be a means to get some free air-conditioning and some guilt-free window shopping.

To both these sections of society, this weekend at Chennai’s Express Avenue Mall will throw up something different: sporting action.

The mall will host the second season of the Tamil Nadu Pickleball Premier League (TNPPL), giving the city an opportunity to witness the world’s fastest-growing sport at close quarters. With 12 district-based franchises and 168 players fighting for a prize pool of Rs 30 lakhs, the league - aimed exclusively at Tamil Nadu players – hopes to make the state the pickleball capital of the country.

As Dr Kavya Somesh, General Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Pickleball Association, puts it, “For four days, Chennai won’t just hear about pickleball... they will walk right into an electrifying live atmosphere they cannot look away from.”

The players cannot wait. Ask Prajnesh Gunneswaran, a tennis champion who won singles bronze in the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games and retired from the game in 2024. Prajnesh, a key player of the Ooty Bisons team, picked up the sport because “there are enough parallels to tennis.”

“It’s a lot of fun and we have a thriving community of players,” says Prajnesh. One of the top players in the pro contingent, Prajnesh’s move to pickleball was to primarily utilise his proficiency in racquet skills, something that he picked up over years of practise on tennis courts. “Unlike tennis and badminton, pickleball is faster and easier to pick up; hence, there is little to no entry barrier to the sport.” The investments from owners are getting bigger as well; in fact, TNPPL’s auction this season saw a bid by Coimbatore Smashers for Rs 1.2 lakh for Anish Froilan. “

Apart from sporting champions, the presence of celebrities is drawing more attention to the league; owning some of the teams are film personalities like Vikram (Cuddalore Kings), Varalaxmi Sarathkumar (Chennai Tamizh Titans) and Keerthy Pandian (Nellai Superstars).

For actor Keerthi, owning a team in the league is a chance for her to re-kindle her forgotten tryst with sport. “As an athlete and kho-kho player, sport had been a big part of my school life, but it kind of vanished after college. It has now re-entered my life through pickleball.” says Keerthi, who has been learning to play too, “It was special to acquire my sondha ooru team!”

If Keerthi is batting for Nellai, her colleague from the film industry – Varalaxmi Sarathkumar - is cheering for the Chennai Tamizh Titans. “Owning a sports team is a dream come true,” she says, adding that she plays the game at least thrice a week. “I’m obsessed about it. While I’m not shooting a film, I head to the courts to play the game. People all over the world are moving to pickleball. In this age of feeling lonely, it is creating friendships and fostering community.” The league, she says, will go a long way in not only creating a big pool of professional players but also encouraging amateurs. “It will grow bigger, and hopefully, it will become as big as the IPL (Indian Premier League) someday.”

That’s for the future, but for now, inside the atrium of the EA mall, you could become a pickleball fan by accident. “You could be out shopping, but the rallies and crowd might draw you in,” adds Dr Kavya, who believes that the sport is perfect stress-relieving antidote for busy professionals, “Pickleball is loud, fast, and visually addictive. Once you start playing, there is no turning back.”

Entry is free for Cavin’s TNPPL Season 2, to be held from September 17-20 at Express Avenue Atrium, Chennai. For details, visit tnppl.com